Bipolar transistors are much used in modern electronic devices, especially integrated circuits (ICs). However, their performance is sometimes less than ideal, especially when they are being manufactured using a process optimized for other types of devices that may be the principal devices in the IC of which the bipolar transistor is to be a part. Metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETS) are non-limiting examples of such other devices often widely used in ICs, but the present invention is not limited merely to ICs made primarily using MOSFET devices and applies to other manufacturing methods and device structures as well. The term MOSFET is intended to be interpreted broadly and include any type of dielectric (not just “oxide”) and any type of conductor (not just “metal”). As used herein, the term “other device types” is intended to include any device types and not be limited merely to MOSFETS. Where bipolar transistors need to be included in the IC, they are typically made using whatever process steps are available for making the other device types that form the principal devices in the IC. Thus, the properties of the bipolar transistors that can be fabricated using such other device type manufacturing processes are often less than ideal and a need continues to exist for providing improved device properties without significantly modifying the underlying IC manufacturing process.